School reward system faces backlash

Published: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 8:16 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 8:16 p.m.

Some Lafourche Parish parents are criticizing a school program that rewards students for good behavior as unfair and inflexible, while school staff and other parents maintain the system is fair and effective.

The complaints concern the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports system.

Each school creates its own system, determining what a student must do to earn rewards and what rewards are offered.

Some parents say the rules for their programs don’t take into account students with special needs or circumstances.

Sharon Dufrene, for example, said her grandson, Ty Johnson, wasn’t allowed to participate in the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports programs at Lockport Upper Elementary School because of missed class time.

Ty has nephrotic syndrome, a chronic kidney condition that forces him to regularly miss school for doctors’ visits.

“In my mind, they’re discriminating against him because of his disability,” Dufrene said. “He is a good student with no discipline issues, and he makes good grades.”

The school’s system rewards students for attendance. Students with solid attendance records were invited to a party during school hours and given free time.

Ty was disqualified from the party because of his absences, even though they were excused, Dufrene said.

“I know the program isn’t supposed to be about punishment,” Dufrene said. “But when he’s in the classroom doing busy work while his classmates are having a party, it seems to him like he’s being punished for his condition.”

Dufrene has asked the School Board to change its policy to allow Ty to participate but has so far been unsuccessful. She started an online petition on the website Change.org. That petition has so far gathered more than 300 signatures from around the world, including many parents who claim to face similar problems.

Ray Bernard, the school system’s child welfare and attendance supervisor, said his office frequently gets complaints from parents upset that their student didn’t get Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports rewards. He emphasized that schools aren’t punishing students who don’t receive the rewards.

“This is a way to encourage good behavior, not a way to punish anybody,” Bernard said.

Bernard said children who miss school for legitimate medical absences aren’t punished for those absences. Even if a student misses more than the maximum 11 class days, the school system often grants exceptions.

“We certainly work with students and their parents so that we’re not hurting anybody who has a legitimate reason to miss school,” he said.

Bernard pointed out that every school has to send out a notice to parents with the rules for Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.

“Everybody knows what the rules are going into it,” he said.

Other parents said the program often misses students who work hard and behave well but don’t achieve top grades.

“To me, it seems all they are worried about is 4.0 kids and that’s it,” wrote Rhonda Billiot on Facebook. “They have parties for the kids that meet benchmarks on tests. If my kid doesn’t meet the benchmark, he has to go somewhere else.”

But other parents said they think the system is useful.

“The PBIS did a tremendous job on my child,” said Caseylynn Loupe. “He’s learned that he isn’t rewarded for bad behavior, and it’s made him work that much harder.”

Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.

<p>Some Lafourche Parish parents are criticizing a school program that rewards students for good behavior as unfair and inflexible, while school staff and other parents maintain the system is fair and effective.</p><p>The complaints concern the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports system. </p><p>Each school creates its own system, determining what a student must do to earn rewards and what rewards are offered. </p><p>Some parents say the rules for their programs don't take into account students with special needs or circumstances.</p><p>Sharon Dufrene, for example, said her grandson, Ty Johnson, wasn't allowed to participate in the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports programs at Lockport Upper Elementary School because of missed class time.</p><p>Ty has nephrotic syndrome, a chronic kidney condition that forces him to regularly miss school for doctors' visits.</p><p>“In my mind, they're discriminating against him because of his disability,” Dufrene said. “He is a good student with no discipline issues, and he makes good grades.”</p><p>The school's system rewards students for attendance. Students with solid attendance records were invited to a party during school hours and given free time.</p><p>Ty was disqualified from the party because of his absences, even though they were excused, Dufrene said.</p><p>“I know the program isn't supposed to be about punishment,” Dufrene said. “But when he's in the classroom doing busy work while his classmates are having a party, it seems to him like he's being punished for his condition.”</p><p>Dufrene has asked the School Board to change its policy to allow Ty to participate but has so far been unsuccessful. She started an online petition on the website Change.org. That petition has so far gathered more than 300 signatures from around the world, including many parents who claim to face similar problems.</p><p>Ray Bernard, the school system's child welfare and attendance supervisor, said his office frequently gets complaints from parents upset that their student didn't get Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports rewards. He emphasized that schools aren't punishing students who don't receive the rewards.</p><p>“This is a way to encourage good behavior, not a way to punish anybody,” Bernard said. </p><p>Bernard said children who miss school for legitimate medical absences aren't punished for those absences. Even if a student misses more than the maximum 11 class days, the school system often grants exceptions.</p><p>“We certainly work with students and their parents so that we're not hurting anybody who has a legitimate reason to miss school,” he said.</p><p>Bernard pointed out that every school has to send out a notice to parents with the rules for Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.</p><p>“Everybody knows what the rules are going into it,” he said.</p><p>Other parents said the program often misses students who work hard and behave well but don't achieve top grades.</p><p>“To me, it seems all they are worried about is 4.0 kids and that's it,” wrote Rhonda Billiot on Facebook. “They have parties for the kids that meet benchmarks on tests. If my kid doesn't meet the benchmark, he has to go somewhere else.” </p><p>But other parents said they think the system is useful. </p><p>“The PBIS did a tremendous job on my child,” said Caseylynn Loupe. “He's learned that he isn't rewarded for bad behavior, and it's made him work that much harder.”</p><p>Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.</p>